2010 New Years Eve. "It was the best of times, It was the worst of times."

I am sitting here on the couch with the doors opened again.  It’s about 70 degrees and sunny the day before New Years.  We have had some colder temps. We had a few nights where we’ve used the fireplace, but have not had to use the heater at all yet.  Some would say they hate to miss out on the winter season, but not I! 

This also starts another big occasion in my life.  This will be our year countdown to LA.  If all goes according to plan, we will be moving on this day next year.  The thought both excites and terrifies me at the same time.  We don’t have jobs, agents or a place to live out there yet.  We will be spending SO MUCH just to get into SAG and the moving costs and new start up costs on a place to live and all that. 

I know the place we move to, I will not love nearly as much as the townhome we live in now.  However, if I am going to make a real run at this career possibility, I need to get out there sooner than later.  

Looking back over 2010, I can say  "It was the best of times, It was the worst of times."

For my acting career, it was pretty decent.  I got to play the lead role in my first ever feature film.  I overcame a MAJOR obstacle by playing gay and actually having to kiss a guy in a film.  It wasn’t easy for me to do mentally, but glad I got through it nonetheless.  

I was also in a Bank of America commercial and the lead in an American Heart Association Industrial.  Not too bad for a slow year.  However, it still wasn’t enough to keep me out of working at Magic Time Machine more.  I have grown so disconnected from that place, it’s sad.  I remember being so excited to go to work there once upon a time.  Now, it’s a major stress just to think about the approaching weekends. 

Another good point to 2010 is the start of my photography business.  I have done quite a few headshots and a few family portraits in the past few months and I have to say that I’m not horrible at it.  Of course, it helps to have Kristin there to pose them and help them come up with something to think about, which helps get the best pictures from the subject(s).

I guess all I can hope to ask from 2011 is to be a little better than 2010.  After all, you never want to go backwards in life.  It’s all about moving onwards and upwards. 

Let’s just hope that my determination outweighs my stress in the meantime. 

Dec 21st 2010 (Winter Solstice.)

Dec 21^st 2010  (Winter Solstice.)

It was 85 degrees today.  T-shirts and shorts.  It felt like summer or something.  This time last year it was snowing and we had to have a fire almost every night.  It feels like we’ve already moved to LA … only it’s much colder in LA right now.  (54 and raining for the past 4 days straight)

Last night was a total lunar eclipse on the winter solstice.  It happened last 456 years ago, so we had to stay up and watch.  Then, this morning I had a print go see at Ideaman Studios for an AT&T add.  Hope I book it, but not holding my breath.

Pics of the eclipse.  12:40-2AM

 

Friday... again?

For those of you who don't know, Fridays are my least favorite day of the week.  It means that I've failed to book an acting job over the weekend and I am going to have to go to my waiting tables job.  After 10 years in the service industry I'm really ready for a change, but what?  

Kristin and I have a few ideas of how to make extra money when we get to LA, maybe we should start trying to do those things here.  She does princess birthday parties as Cinderella and I take pictures. 
We broke down and bought the camera we wanted yesterday, headshots for actors and may be a realistic option.  We figured that if we do 9 headshot sessions then the camera has paid for itself.  Totally worth it. 

Kinda feeling down today that auditions have not picked up more this week.  I only had the one print go-see.  Always frustrating when you know there's probably other stuff out there, you just didn't find it this week.  uggh. 

Anyway, I'm off to work out.  Got to get my actors body set to maximum sexy.  It's what we do.  haha. 

The Waiting is the Hardest Part.

I had a print cast audition today.  For those of you not in the biz, it's an audition for advertisements or packaging that just shows your picture.  They were looking for small business owner looking people between the ages of 30-60.  It pays well, but I've never booked a print ad my entire life and not expecting to hear anything from this one.  Print casting is like winning a small lottery.

This has been a bad week for auditions.  The print casting was the only thing I've done.  Frustrating.  I know I had a car commercial last week, but my goal is to always be trying to get that next job.  So ideally, I'd like to work at some acting job every week or at the least, every other week.

California is really on my mind lately.  It's in my every thought.  I wish I could just drop everything and just go next week. However, between Kristin and I, we only have about 1/4 of the money we need saved to go out there.  It's going to be damn expensive!

I would really like to get a new camera capable of taking some professional headshots and HD video. 
  On one hand, the camera will save me a fortune in headshots and I could possibly charge others for taking their headshots once I got better at using the thing.  On the other hand, I need to save money.  I don't know...

Everyday I am doing research on California things too.  Like - what are some survival jobs I could possibly do while trying to get established out there?  How much are apartments going for in the area I want to live?  etc.  It's really kinda scary.  I'm also slowly trying to figure out what I can sell so that I don't have to take so much with me out to LA when I go.
On one hand I want to be able to have some furniture and still live somewhat comfortably.  On the other hand, I don't want to lug all this stuff halfway across country.  

Preparing to prepare takes a lot of preparation!

Okay... We've set a date and are starting to do the research.  Los Angeles may be able to happen in this life after all.  I had resigned myself to thinking that sooner or later, the acting work would pick up in Dallas enough for me to live off of nothing but acting.  I am beginning to really think this is more wishful thinking rather than an actual reality.   More work has come to Dallas.  We have 3 major TV shows film out here right now. "The Good Guys, CHASE, And Lonestar."  Unfortunately, the main characters for these shows are still cast out of LA and the minor roles are cast here.  It's kinda BS.  So... It's time to make the move before it's too late.